Small Biz Owners

[HFW003]

Obviously everyone's experience is going to be different.

I owned my own business for twenty years or so. It was a number of retail outlets in the Tile industry. Owning the business enabled me to do many things I wouldn't have otherwise been able to do.

THE best thing was though, I was able to spend a lot of time with my Son when he was growing up. I took him to swimming lessons and all sorts of other things that not many Dad's get the opportunity to do. I cherish that time like nothing else.

The worst thing was not being able to have more than say a week or two away at the one time.

About fifteen years ago my business partner was killed in an accident at work which nearly broke me. Down here there are VERY serious injury and death at work laws and I almost lost everything I own along with my marriage and my mind!

Since then I have worked for other people and I have no qualms whatsoever in doing so. I have been in the same position for the last thirteen years and I couldn't be happier.

I still run the business and have all the responsibility of doing so but I can have six weeks off at a time and travel

[UncleWede]

I watched my dad work himself to the BONE. HE couldn't often be there with us, and paydays were feast/famine. We ate a LOT of Mac/Cheese, but also some killer steaks and fish we caught ourselves.
I chose gubmint route so that I got the same paycheck every 2 weeks, and I was able to coach my sons, if I was so inclined. I rarely if ever missed a game of theirs.

[Rocket455]

Originally Posted by floridaorange

After being your own boss - could you ever go back to working for someone else?

Yes, but not because of being my own boss. 12 years of running a service-based business here in CA with 2 other partners that falls into the 'unskilled labor' tier. At our peak, 230 employees, currently 165. Between CA's ridiculous labor laws and general anti-employer overreach, the near constant steam of frivolous lawsuits and fake Work Comp cases, the *unbelievable* sense of employee entitlement and lack of personal accountability and integrity, I cannot wait to go work for someone else after this is over, if retirement is out of reach. Exhausting dealing with the BS and liability. I don't know what happened to the labor pool, but it's everywhere now and has been getting worse for years. COVID didn't help. The "racism" card has become a common first reaction when attempting to counsel employees (despite all 3 owners being immigrants themselves!), not too far behind the "I'll sue you" card, kids with no work experience believe they should be making $20/hr despite not having a clue how to talk or behave, the compliance landscape manufactured by CA is stifling and automatically nurtures bad behavior... I could go on and on without tiring myself. Thank GOD weed is legal here. =P

[dreamingat30fps]

Originally Posted by Rocket455

Yes, but not because of being my own boss. 12 years of running a service-based business here in CA with 2 other partners that falls into the 'unskilled labor' tier. At our peak, 230 employees, currently 165. Between CA's ridiculous labor laws and general anti-employer overreach, the near constant steam of frivolous lawsuits and fake Work Comp cases, the *unbelievable* sense of employee entitlement and lack of personal accountability and integrity, I cannot wait to go work for someone else after this is over, if retirement is out of reach. Exhausting dealing with the BS and liability. I don't know what happened to the labor pool, but it's everywhere now and has been getting worse for years. COVID didn't help. The "racism" card has become a common first reaction when attempting to counsel employees (despite all 3 owners being immigrants themselves!), not too far behind the "I'll sue you" card, kids with no work experience believe they should be making $20/hr despite not having a clue how to talk or behave, the compliance landscape manufactured by CA is stifling and automatically nurtures bad behavior... I could go on and on without tiring myself. Thank GOD weed is legal here. =P

Stuff like this is why I'm glad I don't have employees. Even if it means I have to do more work myself. Fortunately it's not some crazy amount of work so I can manage to do it all myself, but I feel if I ever got that busy that I couldn't do it myself I would probably consider rising prices or just stop taking on new clients before having to hire people.

Also makes me glad I don't live in CA.